Has anyone ever had PR this long?

Skin, nail and hair health
1

I got my herald patch in March 2008 on the back of my thigh. I had no idea what it was so I just used a moisturiser to keep the dryness down adn carried on as normal. It used to become very agitated and sore when I walked a lot as my trousers rubbed on it, but it was never itchy.

Over that summer everything was fine, the patch was still there but not bothering me. Then I moved to university in October 2008 and was constantly ill, with sniffles, headaches or sore throats all the time. I was quite tired too. But I put all this down to Fresher's Flu, not eating well enough and the fact that its hard to get enough sleep in halls anyway !

Then in December 2008 I noticed a few smaller patches on my forearms and within a month I was covered. They are all over my arms, shoulders, neck, back, stomach, chest, and thighs. I went to the doc and she diagnosed me before I even sat down !

I did some research and most people seem to have it for a maximum of 6 months and I wondered if anyone on this forum had had it for nearly a year like me or had ther herald spot so long before getting any other patches. Am I weird ?

2

:oops: there is usually quite a large gap bbetween the appearance of

the hearald patch, and the others, but a year seems to be a long time

to have it!Poor you.!

3

Just thought I'd chuck my two pennies worth in.

First noticed a rash on my left forearm, which being a typical bloke, thought had something to do with work (come into contact with lagging/dust etc), and left it for about a week. Unfortunately, after this time, I noticed several small red spots appearing on my stomach, shins of legs, and lower back. I was due to fly out with a mate to New York, so was a bit concerned at all this. Went to the local GP, who in all fairness, did diagnose pityriasis, and perscribed me a Alphosyl HC cream and shower gel (nice!), with the information that this could take an unknown amount of time to clear up.

Anyway, fly out on hols, and was devastated to find the little blighters had spread, rather aggresively, all over my body, except my hands and face. Decided, a couple of days in that I was going to stop the cream and shower gel prescribed, as i thought they were agrivating the problem. Went to same GP when i got back, obviously annoyed with the whole situation, and this time, prescribed me a Dovobet ointment to apply to the areas. He also gave me the same info as before, that these things can take anything from weeks to months to clear. Being a single lad i was a bit gutted!!

Now i noticed after about eight weeks, improvement after using this cream, on my arms and stomach, which gave me a bit of a lift, and some hope if im honest. However, we are now into Feb, and my back between my shoulders, lower back and shins are as bad as ever. Admittedly, there have been weekends when I have not applied the ointment, as i dont feel confortable with it under my clothes, but surely this thing has to clear up soon?! It now seems that some spots seem to be re-accuring!

To be honest, it doesn't bother me anymore what caused it, I just want the bloody thing to go away now, so I can get some confidence back! I'm 3 months and waiting, but looking at this website, it seems to just go away when it feels ready! Any one else had the spots this long?

4

[quote:41d4657411=\"Nina285\"]I got my herald patch in March 2008 on the back of my thigh. I had no idea what it was so I just used a moisturiser to keep the dryness down adn carried on as normal. It used to become very agitated and sore when I walked a lot as my trousers rubbed on it, but it was never itchy.

Over that summer everything was fine, the patch was still there but not bothering me. Then I moved to university in October 2008 and was constantly ill, with sniffles, headaches or sore throats all the time. I was quite tired too. But I put all this down to Fresher's Flu, not eating well enough and the fact that its hard to get enough sleep in halls anyway !

Then in December 2008 I noticed a few smaller patches on my forearms and within a month I was covered. They are all over my arms, shoulders, neck, back, stomach, chest, and thighs. I went to the doc and she diagnosed me before I even sat down !

I did some research and most people seem to have it for a maximum of 6 months and I wondered if anyone on this forum had had it for nearly a year like me or had ther herald spot so long before getting any other patches. Am I weird ?

Hi Nina

I had my herald patch for at least one and more likely two months before I 'broke out', which was considered abnormally long. I've never heard of anyone with the herald patch appearing that long before the main rash.

However the one thing I think everyone can agree on is that no case of PR is typical. It almost certainly lies dormant, and it just sounds like yours has been waiting to strike for a lot longer than normal. The stress you're under and the fact you've been ill will have helped it take hold, but I'm sure there was nothing you could have done to prevent it once the herald patch had appeared.

I hope you find, like me, that the smaller patches start to disappear as quick as they spread.

Take care

xxx

5

[quote:b7ce62bf26=\"Ianto\"]Just thought I'd chuck my two pennies worth in.

First noticed a rash on my left forearm, which being a typical bloke, thought had something to do with work (come into contact with lagging/dust etc), and left it for about a week. Unfortunately, after this time, I noticed several small red spots appearing on my stomach, shins of legs, and lower back. I was due to fly out with a mate to New York, so was a bit concerned at all this. Went to the local GP, who in all fairness, did diagnose pityriasis, and perscribed me a Alphosyl HC cream and shower gel (nice!), with the information that this could take an unknown amount of time to clear up.

Anyway, fly out on hols, and was devastated to find the little blighters had spread, rather aggresively, all over my body, except my hands and face. Decided, a couple of days in that I was going to stop the cream and shower gel prescribed, as i thought they were agrivating the problem. Went to same GP when i got back, obviously annoyed with the whole situation, and this time, prescribed me a Dovobet ointment to apply to the areas. He also gave me the same info as before, that these things can take anything from weeks to months to clear. Being a single lad i was a bit gutted!!

Now i noticed after about eight weeks, improvement after using this cream, on my arms and stomach, which gave me a bit of a lift, and some hope if im honest. However, we are now into Feb, and my back between my shoulders, lower back and shins are as bad as ever. Admittedly, there have been weekends when I have not applied the ointment, as i dont feel confortable with it under my clothes, but surely this thing has to clear up soon?! It now seems that some spots seem to be re-accuring!

To be honest, it doesn't bother me anymore what caused it, I just want the bloody thing to go away now, so I can get some confidence back! I'm 3 months and waiting, but looking at this website, it seems to just go away when it feels ready! Any one else had the spots this long?

Hi Ianto

We feel your pain. Your doctor told you the truth about longevity - many of them swear it will clear up in 2 weeks from what I've read! Honestly... I don't think any cream or oil or ointment can actually effect the duration of the infection. E45 cream is said to be soothing, though.

For me, it was in fact when I had stopped applying anything that I saw an improvement. Again, I'm sure this was jut coincidence.

If you're already 3 months into the full blown rash stage, hopefully you won't have too long left. And trust me when I say that they will start to disappear so fast when they do up and leave, you won't believe it! The ladies in your town better watch out by the sounds of things wink

Take care

xxx

P.S. Just noticed you're the 4th person on this forum whose herald patch appeared on their forearm. I think we need to amend some doctors' textbooks.

6

My herald patch is on my hip. It has been exactly the same place both times I've had PR. I think it lies dormant like shingles and starts in periods of stress/vitamin or mineral deficiency. for me I've had PR about 5m after giving birth... this time I had twins, so extra stressful!!! My life is pretty stressful in any case so I think the vitamin or mineral deficiency is also part of it.

I'm now at the pale and flaky stage. I've found PR has three main stages.

1) a period of dark pink/red spots, with new ones apeparing daily. After a bath or exercise the spots look more angry, often purply but this 'anger' does subside shortly afterwards.

2) a spell where the spots spread out and join up. The tops flake off and underneath are new pinky spots, though they're often not as dark as the first stage, unless you've been in the bath. The dryness of the spots increases, until....

3) final stage - where the spots are very pale and very dry. Actually a lot of the spots were now patches by this stage, especially on my shins and arms. They still go redder after a bath.

I've had it for 5 months the firt time and this time its been 4m so far. Probably be another few weeks before everything completely fades to nothing. It's my birthday tomorrow and when it started I was aiming to be rid of it by now but I think the end is in sight, so I'm not so bothered I'm not completely free as planned.

Areas affected:

1) started on my arms, trunk, then shins and thighs.

2) Backs of arms and shins are worst - big patches.

3)Lots of spots on trunk, making a christmas tree pattern on my back - I take this to be the fact that it follows nerve endings in its formation.

4) Lots in hair, making it look dandruffy - joy!!!!

5) some spots on face, about 10 in total, during stage 2. cleared up faster here though - maybe cos of exposure to the sun? (even though it's winter?)

6) a few spots on backs of hands and some on tops of feet too.

7) nothing on my neck.

What has helped... I think!

1) antidandruff shampoo over my whole body. Took away some of the flakiness thought it made my skin tingle.

2) upping my vitamin and mineral intake.

3) last time round it was summer, the bits I dared exposed to the sun healed quickly.

4) bio oil has kept my skin from being very flaky without irritating it. other creams like e45 burned like hell.

5) remembering it does go away completely eventually.

:D

7

hi all,

I got my herald patch slightly over a year ago on the inside of my left wrist, it was about 4cm in diameter, pink, a bit itchy and had a bit scare-like border. I did nothing, just normal hygiene. It disappeared after some time but then I got another one, at the very bottom of my belly, close to my left leg, so in a location where I'd hate to see anything of that sort, lol. This disappeared as well.

Then weeks and weeks (if not months!) of peace followed and then I got those numerous pinky dots on my chest, stomach, top of my back up to neck line and forearms (not as many as on chest, stomach and back, though), that must have been somewhere in December? - we're in mid May now and the bloody thing is still there all the time, lol. I don't panic as I've seen my GP, was immediately diagnosed with PR and did some research on internet myself so I know where we are. My doc didn't make a stupid mistake of promising me it'll go away within next weeks, he said it may take a while, this varies from person to person. The patches were a bit itchy for about 2-3 weeks but then the itching stopped without using any creams or ointments. Best we can do is to leave them in peace and refrain from scratching.

My conclusion is: I know it is not killing me (although I feel sorry for those who have got some unpleasant feeling, itching, etc.) and it does not affect others around me. I know it shouldn't damage my skin. All I am doing is waiting until it's gone.

well, I think that's it...

best to all,

Matt